1 Thessalonians 4 Commentary

Paul exhorts the Thessalonians to be sanctified, to live a life apart from sin and worldliness. Primarily this means living a sexually pure life. Sexual immorality is exploitative—it hurts other people. Sexual self-control allows us to love one another, rather than use each other.

Paul urges the believers to increase in their love, to be sanctified by focusing on their own business and working hard at their own jobs, rather than becoming burdens to others.

Paul comforts the Thessalonians who were worried that if they died before Jesus’ second coming, they would remain dead and would miss out on spending eternity with Jesus. Paul clarifies that dead believers will be resurrected and meet Jesus in the air at His coming, and living believers will subsequently join them, and all will be with the Lord forever.